- Conclave at ‘private’ retreat of disqualified PM
In his latest pilgrimage on Thursday to that local version of Camp David or Chequers, hallowed Jati Umrah, the reluctant ‘shadow’ prime minister and his recently nominated (all things remaining equal) eager successor, travelled together by helicopter to pay homage and seek the obligatory but nowadays not always sage advice from its embittered resident. Still, the very fact of formally passing on the political torch, albeit within the family, should silence the incessant rumours of a Sharif clan feud and mollify disgruntled party members by this (rare) pragmatic decision of naming younger sibling Shehbaz Sharif as next party candidate for PM. But it is also a sad reflection on our dynastically inclined political system that Khaqan Abbasi, otherwise quite articulate and savvy, should trek to Murree or Lahore for consultations (read orders), rather than cutting the political umbilical cord and taking independent decisions.
The realistic part of the discussions reportedly centred on long- delayed legislation on FATA Reforms Bill, really not an impossible task with proper political will and sincere purpose, and the former PM took on the delicate task of winning over the recalcitrant JUI-F chief, the Bill’s main opponent, despite being a government ally and enjoying genial relations with him. The political situation, party matters, NAB cases and election strategy for 2018 campaign were also debated with the gathered arch-loyalists. The fantastical level was struck with the ex-PM clinging stubbornly to the ‘victim’ notion of an unacceptable targeted accountability against him, which allegedly lacked transparency. The hypocritical notes were sounded by his vow to struggle for a strong parliament which he now considers vital to strengthen other institutions, this coming from a PM who seldom darkened Parliament’s door during his three stints in office, and in his instructions to party MPs and office bearers to ‘form close liaison’ with the masses, the suddenly visible voters, who would again be contemptuously forgotten and ignored till the next elections. Though fair criticism of court decisions is his right, the ex-PM should stop blackening the country’s global image, or that of its army and judiciary, and threatening street agitation. Pakistan is neither a banana republic nor a monarchy.
